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Former Employee of Potters Home Center Charged with Forgery and Theft

August 10, 2011

by:

Dwayne Page

A former store employee of Potters Home Center on East Broad Street has been charged with forgery and felony theft over $1,000 in a scheme to allegedly steal money from the business by taking advantage of the store's policy on returning merchandise.

32 year old Jason Brian Jones is under a $20,000 bond and he will be in court on August 18.

According to Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger, on several occasions from June 7th through July 30th, Jones allegedly forged the names of people on return slips, then made out a check from the store for the returns to the names on those slips. He then allegedly forged their names on the backs of those checks, cashed them in-store, and kept the money. The total amount of money taken in the scheme amounts to several thousands of dollars. All of the return slips were bogus, meaning that no merchandise from anyone named on the slips was actually brought to the store for a return.

During the investigation, Police questioned Jones who allegedly confessed to the crimes. He is also no longer an employee of the store. Chief Caplinger said the investigation continues.

Meanwhile, the Smithville Police Department has arrested two local women on drug charges after they allegedly sold dilaudid to a confidential source in a recent controlled drug buy operation.

Chief Caplinger said 43 year old Kimberly Patterson and 39 year old Wanda Carol Mathis are each charged with one count of unlawful possession of a schedule II controlled substance for sale and delivery. The women allegedly made the sale from the car they were in at the time. .
Patterson and Mathis were not immediately arrested after making the sale but instead were taken into custody on another day, Monday August 8 after police pulled over their vehicle at the BP convenience market on West Broad Street. Police also seized the car.

Bond for each is $25,000 and they will appear in court August 18.

Two people were picked up by the police department on Sunday, August 7 after being found with drugs in their vehicle in the parking lot of a local business.

Chief Caplinger said 31 year old Russell Shannon Estes is charged with public intoxication and simple possession of a schedule II, IV, and VI controlled substance. He was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond totals $7,000. 36 year old Lisa Marie Arnold was issued citations for simple possession of a schedule II, IV, and VI controlled substance. Both Estes and Arnold will appear in court on August 18.

According to Chief Caplinger, police were notified that two people had been seen in their automobile parked at Neo's restaurant on West Broad Street. He said it appeared as though they were snorting drugs. Police arrived and saw Estes and Arnold in the vehicle preparing to roll a green leafy substance, believed to be marijuana, into a cigarette. They were also found in possession of a container with twenty six pills, believed to be percocet, two pills thought to be hydrocodone, and twelve pills suspected to be xanax. A white powdery substance could be seen on the car seat. Estes was charged with public intoxication after he was found to be unsteady on his feet and had slurred speech. A citation was issued against him for possession of drug paraphernalia after police found a pill organizer, pill bottle, metal container, and a straw.

24 year old Serena Lattimore of 114 Juniper Lane has been charged with child neglect after police found her seven year old daughter walking alone down the street near DeKalb Community Bank on Friday, August 5th.

A passerby spotted the child and called police. The youngster told the officer that she was walking to school after she found her mother asleep at home and could not wake her. The Department of Children Services was notified and began an investigation. Lattimore's bond is $3,500.

43 year old David Dixon was picked up for violation of probation on Wednesday, August 10. During a search incident to his arrest, police found a pill on him. He was charged with simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court on August 25.

27 year old Roxanna Landis was arrested recently after being found slumped over while sitting on the sidewalk in front of Rite Aid Pharmacy on South Congress Boulevard. Police were called and found that Landis had slurred speech and was unsteady on her feet. Landis allegedly told police that she had taken hydrocodone. A syringe was found in her wallet. Landis was charged with public intoxication and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond is $3,500.

22 year old Thomas Owens was cited for theft on August 4 after a shoplifting incident at Walmart. He is accused of trying to steal $112 worth of merchandise from the store. He will be in court on August 18.

29 year old David Hollingsworth has been charged with domestic assault. Police were recently called to a residence on Dearman Street to check out a domestic complaint in which a man and his wife were arguing. Police found signs of an assault on the woman's left arm and determined that Hollingsworth was the aggressor. His bond is $3,500.